Guaranteed 2 GP assignments: top 6 finishers at 2009 Worlds (seeded) along with the 7th-12th place finishers.

From the Technical Announcement:

c) Medallists from the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2009 and the medallists from the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final 2008/09 will be included in the selection process. Skaters/couples who have stated their intention to skate as Senior in 2009/10 will be guaranteed one (1) event.

The selection guideline seems different from previous years. i thought that the seeded skaters were separated. The skater/team that was 1-3 at Worlds were separated from the skater/team that were 4-6. Each were guaranteed 2 spots, but the medalist would not have to compete against each other and the skaters 4-6 wouldn't have to compete against each other at a GP event.

Here it seems that all of the seeded skaters/teams are placed into the same random draw for event assignments. Was it an intentional change?

The selection guideline seems different from previous years. i thought that the seeded skaters were separated. The skater/team that was 1-3 at Worlds were separated from the skater/team that were 4-6. Each were guaranteed 2 spots, but the medalist would not have to compete against each other and the skaters 4-6 wouldn't have to compete against each other at a GP event.

Here it seems that all of the seeded skaters/teams are placed into the same random draw for event assignments. Was it an intentional change?

Wow, that does seem to be a change. (Actually, a change back -- I think the 1-3 and 4-6 division was used only one year, or two?)

The other thing I noticed was this.

I always thought that the draw for seeded skaters was done by country. In other words, if the French federation drew the long straw, then they got to choose first among the seeded skaters. The wording here seems to say that the skaters are just assigned by a random draw of the seeded skaters' names.

I also do not see any language that says that a country gets first dibs of their own seeded skater for their event. So if Rachael Flatt, by the luck of the draw, gets sent to Cup of China and Eric Bompard, then Skate America does not have the option of choosing her even if they want to. Is that right?

Wow, that does seem to be a change. (Actually, a change back -- I think the 1-3 and 4-6 division was used only one year, or two?)

The other thing I noticed was this.
[...]
I also do not see any language that says that a country gets first dibs of their own seeded skater for their event. So if Rachael Flatt, by the luck of the draw, gets sent to Cup of China and Eric Bompard, then Skate America does not have the option of choosing her even if they want to. Is that right?

That's odd. I only really started to follow figure skating two GP's ago, and even then only paid attention to rankings last year, so I wouldn't know about combining skaters placing first through sixth at worlds. Didn't Skate Canada originally have Marie-France Dubreuil & Patrice Lauzon AND Albena Denkova/Maxim Staviski in the line-up for Skate Canada International 2007? Both couples eventually withdrew, with the former taking a year off (and eventually retiring) and the latter caught up in the drunk driving mess... but if they were both listed for the same event, then the split 1-3 and 4-6 was not in effect that year.

I also find the lack of choice odd. It would be much nicer to allow host federations to first pick their skaters (as long as they do not go against the seeded skaters-related rules) and then draw for the order of selection of the rest of the skaters...

Ah well, such is life. Doesn't mean fans enjoy it, though.

-Kypma

ETA: from here on Goldenskate, it appears Denkova/Staviski were originally in the line-up. Now off to figure out when Dubreuil-Lauzon announced their intention to take the season off... although now I'm thinking that must have happened before the entries were given in, or Skate Canada would have had 3 seeded couples -- the Bulgarians were 1 at Worlds, the Canadians second, and Virtue-Moir 6th in their debut. So kindly disregard most of this post... *blushing smiley I can't find*

Last edited by Kypma; 04-28-2009 at 08:18 PM.
Reason: adding the ETA part

The selection guideline seems different from previous years. i thought that the seeded skaters were separated. The skater/team that was 1-3 at Worlds were separated from the skater/team that were 4-6. Each were guaranteed 2 spots, but the medalist would not have to compete against each other and the skaters 4-6 wouldn't have to compete against each other at a GP event.

Here it seems that all of the seeded skaters/teams are placed into the same random draw for event assignments. Was it an intentional change?

The selection process works like this:

First, the hosts select their host picks (and this can include seeded skaters).

Then the hosts draw for pick order for the medalists at Worlds 2009 (or the top 3 seeds). The medalists have stated their preferences as to where they'd like to skate, and the hosts usually defer to those choices.

The hosts next draw for pick order for the 4-6 seeds and make their selections.

So the process is still the same as it was in the past: the World medalists will never face one another in the GP events.

Once all the seeds are picked, then the hosts draw again for pick order for the non-seeded skaters who ranked 7-12 at Worlds. Each host must pick two skaters/teams from this group.

The hosts draw for pick order for each of the other 'guarateed' groups (ISU Ranking top 24, SB list top 24, JW/JGP medalists).

First, the hosts select their host picks (and this can include seeded skaters).

Then the hosts draw for pick order for the medalists at Worlds 2009 (or the top 3 seeds). The medalists have stated their preferences as to where they'd like to skate, and the hosts usually defer to those choices.

The hosts next draw for pick order for the 4-6 seeds and make their selections.

So the process is still the same as it was in the past: the World medalists will never face one another in the GP events.

Once all the seeds are picked, then the hosts draw again for pick order for the non-seeded skaters who ranked 7-12 at Worlds. Each host must pick two skaters/teams from this group.

The hosts draw for pick order for each of the other 'guarateed' groups (ISU Ranking top 24, SB list top 24, JW/JGP medalists).

Finally, the hosts fill their slots from the top 75 in the SB list.

Thank you, thank you, for clearing this up. Why don't they just say that? Would make life so much simpler.

Based on the criteria, past experience and the current world standings; who of the US Ladies will get two GP events? Only Rachael is guaranteed two, right?
This season 7 US Ladies got 2 GP's (Mirai, Rachael, Ashley, Caroline, Bebe, Katrina and Kimmie); Alissa and Emily got 1, and Alissa due to a good skate at Skate Canada managed to get another.
For next season:
I'm guessing Rachael, Alissa, Caroline and Ashley will definitely get 2 GPs because they are currently the top 4 in the US; but then? Kimmie and Mirai both still have a good World Ranking number.
And what about the 'juniors' Alexe, Becky, Angela...? And Bebe? They will likely only get 1, right?

So basically, no drastic changes in that latest directive from previous years

I understand that 3 World champions will each get 2 GPs none of which will pit them against each other. Then the next group of 3 seeds will also get 2GPs each none of which will pit them against each other but will pit them against a 2009 World Champion Yes?

This will give us 10 slots to fill for each GP event. The selection will be made by the host federations according to the drawing.

Other than 3 skaters the Host country may select on their own (including the those already to be placed because of seedings) the remainder for each vacant slot will be selected by the drawing.

1. The Rule to have 2 GPs is secure for all Federations?

2. How is it that on occasion, a skater is listed at a later date because of withdrawal? I noticed, it is not necessarily a host country replacement.

I'm not sure that i understand what you mean by secure? Do you mean are the rules ever bent for a federation? I think the GPs have little to do with the actual federation and more about the individual skaters.

Originally Posted by Joesitz

2. How is it that on occasion, a skater is listed at a later date because of withdrawal? I noticed, it is not necessarily a host country replacement.

I think that happens when a skater withdraws from a GP, the host country doesn't get to fill that slot it's the "next in line" when you follow the rules of hoe assignments are given. That's why there was all that bitching from people about how Emily Hughes should have withdrawn from Erix Bompard this season to "allow" another american skater to go. In fact another american skater would not have gone if she had withdrawn it would have been the next in line.

Originally Posted by Joesitz

3. How do TBAs come about?

I would guess that TBAs in the listings come about only for the third invited skater of the hosting nation. Since places on the GP are individual and not given to a federation to fill the slot, the only TBAs could only ever be the third spt for the hosting nation.